evacuate

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verb evac·u·ate \ i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt , -kyü-ˌāt \

Definition of evacuate

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1 :to remove the contents of :empty

2 :to discharge from the body as waste :void

3 :to remove something (such as gas or water) from especially by pumping

4 a :to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area

b :to withdraw from military occupation of

c :vacate 1

were ordered to evacuate the building

intransitive verb

1 :to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection

2 :to pass urine or feces from the body

—

evacuative

play \i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwā-tiv, -kyü-ˌā-\ adjective

See evacuate defined for English-language learners

See evacuate defined for kids

Examples of evacuate in a Sentence

People who live along the coast are being evacuated as the hurricane approaches.
During World War II, children were evacuated from London to the country.
Residents were ordered to evacuate the building.
Residents have been ordered to evacuate.

Recent Examples of evacuate from the Web

Darrell Clingman and his 11-year old twins, Tyler and Haley, came to Lakewood Church after an Army vehicle evacuated them from his neighbor's home in Riverstone, about 25 miles southwest of downtown Houston.

— stephanie kuzydym, chicagotribune.com, "Joel Osteen pushes back against accusations he closed his megachurch to Harvey victims," 30 Aug. 2017
UAB Hospital is opening its doors to patients evacuated from hospitals in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

— erin edgemon, AL.com, "UAB Hospital opens doors to Hurricane Harvey evacuees," 30 Aug. 2017
Flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey has prompted five Texas prisons to evacuate.

— ella ceron, Teen Vogue, "University of Tampa Professor Fired for Saying Hurricane Harvey Seemed Like "Karma" for Texas Republicans," 30 Aug. 2017
Harvey, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, struck central Texas and Houston's metropolitan area over the weekend, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes, destroying many homes and businesses and claiming at least nine lives.

— javonte anderson, Post-Tribune, "NWI emergency responders ready to help Harvey victims," 29 Aug. 2017
Beachgoers were evacuated from Orleans’s Nauset Beach after many watched a shark bite into and kill a seal very close to the coast.

— tess koman, Cosmopolitan, "Multiple Shark Sightings Reported Near Cape Cod in 1 Week," 23 Aug. 2017
All 22,000 festival goers at Tomorrowland Barcelona were evacuated Saturday night after a fire consumed the main stage.

— gabrielle bruney, Esquire, "22,000 People Were Evacuated from Tomorrowland Barcelona," 30 July 2017
The center of the town of Goslar, in the mountainous Harz region of northern Germany, west of Berlin, was closed off and a hotel and a home for the elderly were evacuated as its central market square was flooded.

— Bloomberg.com, "Floods Hit Northern Germany, Force Some Evacuations," 26 July 2017
So, on May 26, the Allies launched Operation Dynamo, a mission to evacuate their forces from Dunkirk via the English Channel.

— emma sarran webster, Teen Vogue, "Dunkirk: What Really Happened," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'evacuate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of evacuate

Middle English, to draw off morbid humors, from Latin evacuatus, past participle of evacuare to empty, from e- + vacuus empty

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First Known Use: 15th century

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evacuate Synonyms

Synonyms

clear, empty, vacate, void

Antonyms

fill, load

Related Words

deplete, drain, eliminate, exhaust, waste; bleed, draw (off); clean, flush, purge, scour, sweep

EVACUATE Defined for English Language Learners

evacuate

play

verb

Definition of evacuate for English Language Learners

: to remove (someone) from a dangerous place
: to leave (a dangerous place)
medical : to pass (solid waste) from your body

EVACUATE Defined for Kids

evacuate

play

verb evac·u·ate \ i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt \

Definition of evacuate for Students

evacuated; evacuating

1 :to leave or cause to leave a place of danger Residents evacuated the burning building.

2 :to make empty :empty out

3 :to discharge waste matter from the body

Medical Dictionary

evacuate

play

verb evac·u·ate \ i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt \

medical Definition of evacuate

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1 :to remove the contents of

evacuate an abscess

2 :to discharge (as urine or feces) from the body as waste :void

intransitive verb

:to pass urine or feces from the body

—

evacuative

play \-ˌwāt-iv\ adjective

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evacuate

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evacuative

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Origin and Etymology of evacuate

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Synonyms

Antonyms

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EVACUATE Defined for English Language Learners

evacuate

Definition of evacuate for English Language Learners

EVACUATE Defined for Kids

evacuate

Definition of evacuate for Students

Medical Dictionary

evacuate

medical Definition of evacuate

evacuative

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